Perception of Dysmenorrhea and Utilization of Healthy Menstrual Hygiene Practices Among Female Undergraduate Students in a Nigerian Private University

Dysmenorrhea is the most prevalent gynecological complaint among women of reproductive age and constitutes a significant burden for female university students. Localized data from Nigerian private universities on students’ perceptions and menstrual hygiene behaviors remain limited. This study assessed perceptions of dysmenorrhea and utilization of healthy menstrual hygiene practices among female undergraduates at Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted with 315 female undergraduates selected through stratified random sampling. A validated, structured self-administered questionnaire with six thematic sections was used; Cronbach’s alpha was 0.83. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages). Dysmenorrhea was reported by 62.5% of respondents; 63.2% indicated that pain was severe enough to disrupt daily activities. A majority (67.9%) acknowledged its significant academic impact, and 70.0% supported academic accommodations for affected students. Sanitary pads were used by 80.0% of respondents; 39.0% changed products every 4-6 hours, while 32.0% changed products only when necessary. The leading factors influencing hygiene practices were clean water availability (66.7%), easy product access (66.0%), and product cost (65.7%). Primary barriers to effective management included academic stress (65.1%), lack of affordable pain relief (63.8%), and inadequate institutional privacy (61.6%). This study revealed that dysmenorrhea is highly prevalent and impairs academic functioning among female students at Elizade University. It is recommended that Universities should implement evidence-based menstrual health education, improve access to hygiene products and pain management, and develop inclusive campus policies to safeguard female students’ reproductive health and academic wellbeing.